


He didn't know why

by Shchevalier



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-11
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-01-16 02:43:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12333834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shchevalier/pseuds/Shchevalier
Summary: He didn't know why he scaled the ladder up to a certain blonde ponytailed girl's house.





	1. Chapter 1

He didn't know why he thought it was a good idea to climb up a 10 foot ladder that leaned precariously against the outside windowsill of Betty Cooper's window.

He didn't know why he felt the need to call her Juliet when she opened her window with a look of astonishment on her face. 

He sure as hell didn't know why the little smile she grew made his heart beat harder, and his breathing more shallow. 

He didn't know why the floral pink of her bedroom was a surprise to him when Betty herself was the very picture of feminine, frilly, and all things graceful. 

He carefully stood in the center of the room trying not to touch anything that was hers, afraid that his dirty, poor life might tarnish the fragile beauty. His stare fixed on a certain blonde, as she - as Betty Cooper of all people was viciously pacing in her room, speaking at the speed of light about her parents being insane, her sister possibly being insane, and now she herself was questioning her own sanity. Jughead offered dubious answers to help take her edge off. 

"All parents are insane"

"Maybe she is insane"

"We all are insane" 

He meant the last one as a joke because saying everyone was insane really meant that no one was insane and let's face it, Alice Cooper was completely psychotic.  
When she politely laughed and took a deep breath, he instinctively reached out to slow her down and make her think, she tended to hold everything in, and the fact that she was unraveling before him made Jughead very protective over the sweet girl.

"We are not our Parents Betty." He said the words that he had repeated to himself a million times, words he wished he would never have to say to Betty Cooper. 

"We are not our families." 

It was something he wasn't sure he actually believed, but right now he meant it as encouragement, the fact that the Coopers could create such a kind, caring, selfless human being was beyond Jughead. Her breathing evened out, a calm repetition as his logical words permeated her brain. Betty focused intently on the boy's face while he was looking away, he was racking his brain on how to bring her more comfort. When Jughead looked up her bright blue eyes were staring into his own with such intensity everything he had planned on saying flew out the window. Nevertheless he attempted to push forward, his mouth felt unnaturally dry and swallowing did nothing to help. 

"Als-" 

His voice was lost before he could even get a word out, if he wasn't able to get one word out then there was no way he was going to convey to her that she was alright, she was pure and good and lovable. 

"What?"

Her gaze searched his face in worry and even though Jughead wanted to calm her worry, the ball in his throat wouldn't move 

"What?" 

This one was a little more playful, a sort of 'spit it out you idiot' type of moment. In that split minute such a feeling hit the young writer that he had never felt before, strong feelings of admiration, loyalty, and hope for this beautiful girl in front of him. She was being so vulnerable and open with him and he just couldn't hold back how much she really did mean to him.

If she only knew.

If she only knew how long he had been watching her tear herself down for not being perfect, for how much he resented Archie for hurting her, if she only knew that he would do anything for her because she was one of the best friends he had. Jughead could do the only thing he could think of in his voiceless state. He grabbed her face and kissed her. Holy shit, he kissed Betty Cooper in the worst setting he could think of. This was most likely going to backfire, and she most likely didn't feel the same but she had to know that he was behind her %100, no matter what.

He pulled away, holding onto the feeling that kissing Betty Cooper produced inside of him, and finally letting go of all the feelings he had towards her in a big sigh. When he opened his eyes again Betty had a small smile on her face.

Oh.

She was why.


	2. 3 Certain Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty's realizations

She was sweet, polished, a ray of sunshine in a dark world. Pure, innocent, and without blemish, at least that's what everyone told her. Perfect Betty, flawless Betty, naïve Betty... It was constantly on her mind, the weight of having to be utterly perfect, on task and focused. It was the reason why her mom made her take adderall, why she always commented on her milkshake sweet tooth, why she didn't approve of her being on the River vixens, and why she explicitly was against Betty dating Jughead. "Girls like you don't date boys like him." Is what she believed were the exact words her mother used. 

The anger she felt towards her mother was heightened when she saw the sheer look of rejection on Jughead's face, that look of resignation like he knew that Betty was eventually going to come to her senses and realize her mother was right and a resentment grew in the gentle blonde that she hadn't felt before. When her mother warned her against Archie she rolled her eyes and knew that she was dancing with fire, then when Veronica came along, again Betty could see why her mother vehemently fought against their friendship. Betty was a forgiving person and she could tell genuine friendships from fake ones so Archie and Veronica albeit a little untrustworthy were still some of her nearest and dearest friends. But Jughead...Jughead was a completely different case, he never once took Betty's feelings for granted, he never once left her out of the loop or made her feel like she didn't matter, and more than that he connected with her as well. He opened up to her and Archie about stuff that he had never told anyone, and to have the loyalty and compassion that he does for people, while also the vulnerability of an actual friend was not something lost on Betty. 

Because unlike Veronica or Archie, Jughead was not her lifelong next door neighbor nor someone that helped her battle the day to day missile strikes of being a girl in high school. There was no reason for Jughead to be friends with Betty, she was everything he wasn't, clumsy, gullible, anxious, and for lack of a better word bright. His cool demeanor, that apathetic stance that challenged the world was laid down around Betty, and she didn't take that for granted, it made her very protective of their friendship, of their unique bond that allowed them to rest in peaceful silences and enjoy the world around them. He never expected anything from her and to Betty that meant the world, no need to be the perfect girl with Archie, or always poised and ready with a comeback on her tongue like Veronica, and of course she loved the aspect of wanting to be challenged but sometimes she just wanted to be Betty. After her mother let the comment out, Betty quickly asked Jughead to Pop's for a milkshake and burger. Her burning heart only getting stronger when she noticed he was just a little more slouchy than usual, he put on a brave face and even seemed to be more intentional about what he was doing, or saying around her. 

It was on the way back when she spoke of a memory between her and Polly that she noticed he was staring at her like he would never see her again, as if he had to memorize every inch of her face. Her breath caught in her throat and she stopped walking to face towards him. 

"Stop it" It came out as a whisper, rushed and quiet. The boy's eyes cleared somewhat as he looked at her confusedly, "Stop what?" Her heart hurt for just a moment before she pushed on. "Stop looking at me like that, like this is the last time you'll ever see me." He seemed to catch on to what she was playing at. "Betty, I-" at that moment she grabbed his face and looked straight into his eyes with more conviction than she had ever felt before. "My mother does not dictate my life." His face was heavy in her hands; eyes full of unspoken sadness "Maybe she's right, maybe I'm not good enough for you." At the last word he looked away as best he could, ashamed of actually speaking the words out loud. Betty searched his face for a few seconds her eyes open in incredulity, when she was silent for long enough Jughead looked up at her out of curiosity, hoping to catch a glimpse of what she was thinking. Her eyes focused on his and she glared at him, if she wasn't holding his face in a vice grip he would have shrank back. 

"Do you trust me juggie?" His eyes popped open 

"You know I do Betts, with my life." Her glare softened and she looked earnestly into his eyes. "Do I make bad decisions?" This time confusion was written all over his face, was she seeking solace for all the bad thoughts she had about herself, that she wasn't capable of smart decisions? "Of course not Betts, you're one of the most sane people I know." Fondness washed over the blonde's face as she looked into his eyes, her pretty bow like mouth quirking up into a small smirk. 

"Well I've chosen you Juggie, so trust me." 

A moment of silence enveloped the couple as the young boy looked at her seriously, Betty's breath caught in her throat at her confession, very gingerly Jughead reached for her waist, his fingers carefully caressing the hem of her shirt as he slowly wrapped his arms around her torso squeezing her to his chest. Warmth spread from the very core of the quiet teen to his girlfriend as he hugged her tightly, his nose buried in her hair. "Thank you Betty." Tears pricked at Betty's eyes as they stayed in their embrace for a few moments longer, relishing the feel of each other in their arms. Once separated she quickly swiped the tears off her cheeks and rubbed her fingers onto her jeans, now Jughead being the ever observing person that he is did not miss this, and gave her a questioning glance, Betty chuckled and spoke "Happy tears". A blush and smile grew on Jughead's face, overwhelming warmth came over him, this time it was him reaching for her face and drawing her in closer and closer until their lips touched gently. Once he sealed the kiss he traveled up to her forehead and placed a soft kiss to match the one sitting on her lips, then placing his forehead on hers he appreciated the soft skin of the girl who fought for him.They stood like this for minutes, enjoying the intimate moment between them. When they broke apart they continued the walk to the Cooper's house, and Betty kissed Jughead on the cheek, promising she would see him at school the next day. Betty Cooper was only sure of three things in her life, Archie Andrews was her best friend, her mother was insane and she was in love with Jughead Jones.


End file.
